Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



} TIBSING & GERNER. Breech Loading FireArm.

N. FErERs. FHOTOJ ITHOGRQPNER, WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATES PATENTFFIGE.

FRANK TIESING AND CHARLES GERNEB, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS TO ELI -WHITNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 113,470, dated April 4,1871. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK TIESING and CHARLES GERNER, of New Haven, inthe county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part ofthis specification, in which drawing- ,Figure 1 represents alongitudinal central section of this invention when the breech is closedand the hammer down. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the same when thebreech is open to admit a new cartridge, the hammer being at half-cock.Fig. 3 is a similar section of the same when the arm is charged and thehammer cocked ready for firing.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in a latch for locking the breech-block, saidlatch being hinged and combined with the hammer in such a manner that bypulling the hammer back the latch is made to release the breech-block.lVith the hammerland latch is combined a finger or hook, which serves tothrow the latch back when the hammer is cocked, and which is afterwardmade to release the latch when the breechblock is opened, the latchbeing subjected to the action of a spring, which carries the same backto its locking position as soon as the breech-block is closed.

The breech-block is provided with a yielding spring-dog, which catchesin front of the flange of the cartridge-shell when the breechblock isclosed, and which, when the breechblock is opened, throws out the shelland then drops down, so as to give free access to the chamber for theintroduction of a new car tridge.

In the drawing, the letter A designates the barrel of our fire-arm,which is secured to the stock B in the usual manner. C is thebreechopening, in which are secured the breechblock D and the hammer E,the breech-block being made to swing on a pivot, a, and the hammer'on apin, b.

When the breech-block is turned up to its closing position, as shown inFig. 1 of the drawing, it is locked by a latch, F, which is secured inthe breech-opening by a pin, 0, and which is subjected to the action ofa spring, d, that has a tendency to keep the same down in its lockingposition.

In the drawing we hc ve shown thelatch with a separate pivot but it mustbe remarked that said latch could be so constructedthatit would swing onthe same pin with the hammer. We prefer, however, to place the pin 0, onwhich the latch swings, as near as possible in the line of the recoil.

With the hammer is connected a finger, e, which swings on a pivot, f,and is subjected to the action of a weak spring, g, that has a tendencyto throw the finger out to the position shown in Fig. 1, so that its tipbears under the outer end of the latch F, said latch being provided witha lip, h, to prevent the finger from being turned out beyond its end.When the hammer is raised to halfcock, the finger e raises the latchagainst the action of the spring d, and the breech-block can be thrownback to the position shown in Fig. 2. While being moved back, however,the back of the breech-block bears against the finger e, and forces thesame away from under the latch, so that when the breech-block isreturned to its closing position. the latch is free to follow the actionof its spring cl and to drop back to its locking position, as shown inDnrin g these operations the hammer remains at half-cock; but as soon asthe latch has returned to its locking position the hammer can be cockedready for firing.

It is obvious that the form of the finger depends upon the constructionof the latch and its relation to the hammer, and We do not wish toconfine ourselves to the precise form shown in the drawing; but wereserve the right to change the form of said finger to a hook, or anyother device which will be capable of raising the latch when the hammeris pulled back, and of releasing it by the action of the breechblock.

Vith the breech-block is combined a dog, 5, which has its fulcrum on apivot, j, secured in the breech-block in front of the pin on which saidbreech-block swings. Said dog is subjected to the action of a spring,70, so that in turn-in g the breech-block up to its closing positionsaid dog will spring up behind the flange of the cartridge, as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, and in opening the breech-block the empty shell isWithdrawn from the chamber, and then the dog drops down to the positionshown in Fig. 3, so as to ofl'er no obstruction to the in- 3. Thecombination and arrangement herein shown-of the breech-block and finger,whereby, in the act of throwing the breech-block back, thefinger isoperated to release the latch, as set forth. V 7

4. The spring 0?, in combination with the latch F, finger a, hammer E,and the breechblock D, substantially as and for the purposes described.

This specification signed by us this 16th day of December, 1870.

FRANK TIESING. CHARLES GERNER.

Witnesses SIEGWART SPIER, WM. MILLER.

